Monthly Archives: November 2011

Innovative small firms across the region are being encouraged to show they’ve got what it takes to “export for growth” by entering a new competition run by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) South West. The new Exporting for Growth competition aims to encourage more small businesses to take their products and services to overseas...

Bath Lib-Dem MP Don Foster said many of the issues he had pushed for were included in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. “I was pleased to see that rail fares are to be capped at 6.2% -1% above inflation. This is down from 8.2%. This will make a real difference to commuters in Bath. “In...

Business organisations across Bath and the West were generally supportive of the Chancellor's help for small and medium-sized businesses, particularly measures to boost research and development and encourage investment. Gerry Jones, chairman of the Institute of Directors in the South West, said the Chancellor was “absolutely right” to stick with his Plan A fiscal...

The CBI has given an immediate positive reaction to the Autumn Statement with its director-general John Cridland saying it “works with the realities of today and provides an imaginative framework for UK businesses as it strives to secure growth and jobs”. The CBI had called for a Plan A plus and Mr Cridland said...

Chancellor George Osborne has delivered his Autumn Statement. Here are the key points: BUSINESS Credit easing programme to underwrite up to £40bn in low-interest loans to small and medium-sized firms £1bn business finance partnership to help secure funding for medium-sized firms Regional Growth regeneration fund to get £1bn in extra funding £250m support package...

Chancellor George Osborne said he was determined to see Britain through the financial crisis as he outlined his plans to boost the stuttering economy in his annual Autumn Statement – with the latest gloomy forecasts suggesting the country is again teetering on the edge of recession. He was forced to admit that GDP has...

House prices have inched up by a better-than-predicted 0.4% this month, according to Nationwide building society, but they are expected to ease again over the next 12 months as activity remains subdued. The month-on-month rise is the third straight monthly increase. In a year-on-year basis, the increase was 1.6%, beating a forecast of 1.3%....

Bath-based internet services provider Gradwell has again been listed as one of the fastest-growing companies in the UK by Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 list. The company, founded by managing director Peter Gradwell in 1998 during his second year of university, came sixth in the South West regional rankings and 99th in the UK, with...

HSBC has appointed Paul Wood as senior corporate banking manager for the South West. In his new role Paul will focus on the extensive corporate market in the region, supporting businesses with a turnover of £25m-plus and ensuring that HSBC continues to meet the needs of its corporate clients. Paul will report to Mark...